Ag Bullet, second in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint against males at Del Mar last month, is going on vacation this week with an undetermined future.
Trainer Richard Baltas said on Sunday that the 5-year-old mare may be retired to be bred or could race next year. A decision is expected in the coming months.
Liberation and Cecilia Street, the first two finishers in Sunday’s $100,000 Soviet Problem Stakes at Los Alamitos, are likely to have a rematch next month at Santa Anita. Their respective trainers, John Sadler and Leonard Powell, said on Monday that the $175,000 California Cup Oaks for 3-year-old statebred fillies at a mile on turf is a logical goal.
Liberation, a winner of 3 of 6 starts, has yet to start on turf, but Sadler said her pedigree “plus her action” are two reasons to give the surface a try. Liberation is by Omaha Beach out of Ponytail, by Lonhro.
This year, trainer Gregg Sacco enjoyed a terrific winter and early spring with Crazy Mason, who reeled off three straight wins at Aqueduct capped by a Grade 2 victory in the Carter Stakes in early April.
In 2026, Sacco hopes to experience similar success with Just Beat the Odds, who came off an eight-month layoff to win last Saturday’s Grade 2, $250,000 Elite Power Stakes at Aqueduct.
It was the first stakes victory for Just Beat the Odds, but Sacco hopes not the last.
Pat Pope has the easiest job in racing. At least that was the case on Friday.
Oaklawn Park’s longtime racing secretary had owners, trainers, assistant trainers, and jockey agents beating down the doors and lighting up phone lines with entries for the 10-race season opener on Dec. 12.
That’s what happens when purses are projected to average more than $900,000 a card for the 64-date meet that runs through May 2.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Jockey Rajiv Maragh registered his 2,000th lifetime victory by guiding Lazio to a popular victory in Friday’s third race at Gulfstream Park.
Maragh, who recorded his first winner at Tampa Bay Downs on Feb. 1, 2004, stepped away from riding in January 2022 to devote his time to starting and building Road Jockey, a food delivery service in Jamaica. He resumed riding at Gulfstream on Oct. 29, 2024 with the goal of reaching the 2,000-win milestone.
Cliffs, a 3-year-old filly trained by Cherie DeVaux, arrived at Santa Anita on Thursday after a 30-hour van ride from Fair Grounds Racecourse in New Orleans for an intended start in the Grade 1 American Oaks on Dec. 26.
There was no other way to get there.
In late November, the shipping company Federal Express announced it was pausing equine transport via air until early January. The company made a similar decision last year in early December.
Antonio Fresu, one of the leading riders in California, is switching agents.
Fresu will be represented by Ron Anderson starting at the Santa Anita winter-spring meeting that kicks off on Dec. 26, Anderson said on Friday.
Fresu, 34, led the standings at the Santa Anita spring meeting from mid-April to mid-June. He finished second in the standings at the Del Mar summer and autumn meetings earlier this year and fifth at the Santa Anita autumn meeting.
A water-main break outside the racetrack forced Fair Ground to cancel its eight-race program on Friday.
A main broke on Fortin Street, which runs the length of the Fair Grounds property on the south side of the grandstand and well away from the stabling area. While there was no water on the front-side buildings, the grandstand had to be shut down because of the break.
Fair Grounds expects to resume racing on Saturday.
The first opportunity to chase a big carryover at Turfway Park is already upon horseplayers, with a late pick five carryover of $163,847 into Friday night’s sequence.
Several big upsets on Thursday evening, the second night of the meet, resulted in no winning tickets and helped grow the pool, including Elle’s Dancer, who returned $46.90 for victory, and Dream On Stormy, who blew up the toteboard at $74.40.
California-based trainers Peter Eurton, Carla Gaines, and Michael McCarthy have been given 10-day suspensions this month for recent violations of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority’s rules regarding intra-articular injections.
Eurton was cited for working Lil Nas at Santa Anita on Sept. 21, six days after the gelding received an intra-articular injection, according to a ruling on HISA’s website. HISA rules state horses may not be given a workout within seven days of such treatment.
